If you submitted your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form online, then the U.S. Department of Education (ED) will process your application within three to five days. If you submitted a paper FAFSA form, your application will be processed within seven to ten days.
Once your application is processed, you’ll receive a copy of your Student Aid Report (SAR), which summarizes the information you provided on your FAFSA form. Review your SAR and make sure all of the information is complete and accurate.
If there is any missing or incorrect information, you should complete or correct your FAFSA form as soon as possible.
Your SAR will include your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The EFC determines your eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant, and colleges use the EFC to assess your eligibility for other federal and nonfederal student aid.
Once your FAFSA form is processed by ED, your Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) is sent to the colleges that you listed on your FAFSA form. The colleges you listed are responsible for creating your award package and disbursing your financial aid. However, listing a college on your FAFSA form is generally not sufficient to receive aid at that college, as most colleges don’t create aid packages for every applicant who lists the college on a FAFSA form.
You should contact the financial aid office at the college you plan to attend to find out if there are additional requirements for receiving financial aid and to learn more about the process of applying for aid at that college.
Access your Financial Aid Information Online
On mySDCCD, you can determine:
- If your file is complete
- What forms are required
- Your eligibility for Financial Aid